Word: Orphan

Pronunciation

/ˈɔːrfən/

Definitions

• Noun: A child whose parents are dead or have permanently abandoned them. For example: “The charity focuses on providing shelter and education for orphans.”
• Verb (archaic): To make someone an orphan; to deprive of parents. For example: “The war orphaned many children.”

Phrases

• “Orphanage”: An institution that provides care for orphans.
• “Double orphan”: A child who has lost both parents.
• “Orphan drug”: A pharmaceutical agent developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition, often due to lack of profitability for widespread use.

Example Sentences

• Noun: “The protagonist was an orphan raised by her grandmother after her parents’ untimely death.”
• Verb: “The epidemic tragically orphaned countless children throughout the region.”

Synonyms

• Waif
• Ward
• Unparented child
• Bereaved child
• Parentless child
• Abandoned child

Note: The verb form of “orphan” is not commonly used in contemporary English, but rather it is seen mostly in historical texts or literary contexts. In modern usage, the primary meaning of “orphan” is as a noun referring to a child without parents.